We are excited to officially announce the First Annual Pond King Water Gardens Pond Tour, a free, self-guided tour featuring beautiful ponds, waterfalls, fountains, and outdoor living spaces built by Pond King Water Gardens throughout the south metro area.

This event is something we have talked about for years, and we are grateful to finally bring it to life in a way that celebrates our clients, inspires our community, and supports a meaningful cause.

Tour stops are currently planned in Burnsville, Bloomington, and Prior Lake, with each stop offering its own unique style, setting, and story.

Whether you already have a water feature, are dreaming about adding one someday, or simply enjoy beautiful outdoor spaces, we would love to have you join us.

The Pond Tour is designed to be relaxed, inspiring, and easy to enjoy at your own pace.

Guests will have the opportunity to visit a variety of water features, including ponds, waterfalls, fountains, and outdoor living spaces. Each location will offer a different look at what is possible when water, stone, plants, artistry, and nature all come together in the landscape.

Some stops may highlight peaceful backyard ponds. Others may feature fountains, waterfalls, stonework, plantings, or outdoor gathering areas. Our hope is that guests leave feeling inspired by the beauty, peace, and connection that water can bring to an outdoor space.

We are grateful to have Tru 180 Outdoor Furniture in Burnsville joining us as part of the tour.

Tru 180 will serve as the recommended starting point and event hub for the Pond Tour. Guests are welcome to begin there, pick up a physical tour map during event hours, enjoy light non-alcoholic refreshments and snacks, view the Pond King Water Gardens fountain feature on site, and then continue through the rest of the self-guided route at their own pace.

Registered guests will receive the tour map, exact addresses, parking notes, and important event reminders by email before the tour weekend. Once you have the route, you are welcome to start at Tru 180 or begin at any tour stop you choose.

Walk-up guests are also welcome to begin at Tru 180 and pick up a physical map without registering in advance.

While the Pond Tour is free to attend, we will be strongly encouraging donations in support of vraniCURE and their work funding metastatic breast cancer research and supporting those living with the disease.

This cause is deeply meaningful to our family and team, and we are honored to use this event as a way to bring people together, share beautiful outdoor spaces, and support something bigger than ourselves.

Guests may donate online here:
https://givebutter.com/vraniCUREdonate

Venmo donations may also be sent to:
@vraniCURE

Donation QR codes will also be available at the Tru 180 Outdoor Furniture event hub and on printed tour materials during the event.

I cannot tell you how excited I am to finally bring something to life that I have dreamed about since we started Pond King Water Gardens back in 2007: our very first annual Pond King Water Gardens Pond Tour.

For years, I have wanted to create an event where everyone wins. A chance for people to experience the peace, beauty, and inspiration that water features bring to a space. A chance for our incredible clients to proudly share the outdoor environments they trusted us to create. And most importantly, an opportunity to give back to something bigger than ourselves.

Over the years, we talked about different charitable ideas, but I never quite felt like we had found the right fit. Then recently, through a conversation with Chris from Ope, It’s Mo Time, I was introduced to the vraniCURE Foundation, an organization funding metastatic breast cancer research. The moment I learned more about their mission, something clicked in my heart.

If you have followed me personally or followed our journey as a family, you may know this cause has become deeply personal to us.

In 2019, my wife Erica, who many of you know as “The Pond Queen,” was diagnosed with breast cancer after finding it during a self-exam. By the grace of God, amazing doctors, and a lot of perseverance, she entered remission.

Then in September of 2024, after a persistent cough led to more testing, we learned the cancer had returned and spread to her lungs, liver, and bone tissue.

Like so many families navigating cancer, we quickly learned metastatic cancer is a roller coaster. It is moments of hope, moments of fear, treatments, waiting, scans, prayers, and learning how to live in the present while holding onto optimism.

Thankfully, Erica responded incredibly well to treatment and returned to remission in her body. But in April of 2026, after sudden neurological symptoms led to further testing, we learned the cancer had spread to her brain. Erica has since undergone radiation, and together we continue fighting with faith, gratitude, and hope.

This is why this pond tour matters so much to me.

The Pond King Water Gardens Pond Tour will always be free to attend, because we want everyone to be able to experience these incredible outdoor spaces. But this year, we will be strongly encouraging voluntary donations to vraniCURE, helping fund promising metastatic breast cancer research that could bring hope to families walking a path much like ours.

My hope is that this becomes more than just a pond tour. I hope it becomes a tradition. A weekend filled with beauty, inspiration, connection, and generosity. Something that brings our community together while helping families facing one of life’s hardest battles.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you for being part of our story, supporting our family, supporting our business, and hopefully supporting this incredible cause.

We truly cannot wait to see you on the tour.

Nick “The Pond King” Needham
Founder & Co-Owner, Pond King Water Gardens

First Annual Pond King Water Gardens Pond Tour
Saturday, July 11, 2026: 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Sunday, July 12, 2026: 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM

Tour areas: Burnsville, Bloomington, and Prior Lake
Recommended starting point: Tru 180 Outdoor Furniture in Burnsville
Cost: Free to attend. Donations encouraged for vraniCURE.

We are grateful and excited to welcome you to the first ever Pond King Water Gardens Pond Tour. Thank you for being part of this new tradition with us.